Electrical connectors often are situated in an environment where they are exposed to mechanical load caused by shaking or oscillating movement or vibrations and/or stress due to thermal changes. Examples are electrical connectors used in machines or motor vehicles. If such connectors are situated in the engine compartment of a motor vehicle, not only does heavy mechanical load of the above-mentioned kind occur but also high differences in temperature occur especially during wintertime between the motor vehicle at standstill and being driven.
If the two connectors of a connector pair are attached to different parts or components moving relative to each other due to such mechanical and/or thermal stress, a corresponding relative motion between the connectors occurs, for example between contact pins or contact tabs of one connector and the receiving contacts, for example receiving sockets of the other connector of the connector pair. Such relative motion causes frictional corrosion leading to an impairment of the electrical contact between the pin contacts and the socket contacts.